Give to Ox-Bow and support the past and future of visual art!
Art enriches communities and civic life. At Ox-Bow we bring artists together from around the world, and from right here in West Michigan, to live and work in community with one another – expanding their knowledge, skills and network in ways that will impact them, and the communities they work in and contribute to for years to come.
We rely on the generous gifts of our supporters to provide greater access to our classes and residencies through scholarships, continued care for our historic campus and natural environment, and the creation of new programs that help support and further the work of our participants through publications, exhibitions and online programming.
When you give to Ox-Bow School of Art your donations support:
Arts education for artists at all stages of their artistic journey. We offer classes and residencies for artists working on their BFA and MFA studies, arts teachers working in the public school system, high school students, emerging artists, professional artists and those new to artistic practice. Classes are available for credit and non-credit, as short workshops or intensives. Your support allows us to offer more scholarships for students who might not otherwise be able to access our programs and fully funded residencies that allow artists time and space away from other responsibilities to concentrate on their work.
Studio maintenance and improvement. We maintain glass, metals, ceramic and print studios in addition to our studios for painting and drawing. Your support helps maintain, repair and upgrade equipment as well as basic studio operations, including 4 dedicated Studio Managers who support our students, faculty and artists in residence.
West Michigan, Midwestern and American art history. Founded in 1910 Ox-Bow is the oldest continuously operating summer art school in the country, at home just steps from Lake Michigan in Saugatuck, MI on the grounds of the historic Riverside Inn. We maintain a number of historic buildings including 2 cottages designed by architect Thomas Eddy Tallmadge. Funds help support maintaining this historic campus.
A rare interdunal ecosystem and a forest conservation easement. One reason Ox-Bow is so special is that our campus lies along a lagoon and 100 acres of forest. This is the unceded land of the Potawatomi, who called themselves Neshnabek, meaning “original people” or “true people.” We acknowledge the Potawatomi community, their elders both past and present, and their future generations as the original inhabitants of this land. The Tallmadge Woods are ecologically significant, encompassing forested dunes dominated by beech, hemlock, oak, and maple; a portion of an oxbow lake; a large estuary and marsh; frontage on the Kalamazoo River; and open dunes.
Interdisciplinary education and fellowship. Ox-Bow is building a community of students, staff, faculty, artists and fellows that bring with them a rich diversity of experience and knowledge. As we look to the future, we are creating new summer fellowship opportunities that put students from fields like culinary arts, forestry and water conservation in conversation with artists. We believe that exposure to different knowledge and areas of study can enrich everyone and build exciting collaborations between disciplines in the future.
Your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law. Donors will receive a tax letter and acknowledgement on our supporters page.
Photo by Brandon Dill